By STEVE EIGHINGER
Herald-Whig Staff Writer
Five years ago, Casting Crowns sang in Quincy as a warmup act for Rebecca St. James.
Now, the Grammy Award-winning Christian band will return Aug. 14 as one of the premier groups in the world, regardless of musical genre.
Casting Crowns and its dynamic lead singer, Mark Hall, will play a 7 p.m. show at the 3,300-seat Oakley-Lindsay Center. The event is being sponsored by radio station WGCA as part of its ongoing 20th anniversary celebration.
Bruce Rice, executive director of WGCA, said recent flooding in the area had an impact on Casting Crowns, who wanted to find a way to make the concert happen. These days, the band normally is limited to dates in major arenas or outdoor stadiums to accommodate all of its fans.
"I had been speaking with Randy Humph-ries, part of Casting Crowns' management team, and we both wanted to make this work," Rice said. "When he saw pictures of the flooding around here (on the news), he told me, 'I have never seen anything like that.'"
Soon afterward, a contract was approved.
Seven of eight singles released by Casting Crowns have reached No. 1 on the charts, and its first two albums are certified platinum. The group's recently released third effort is already certified gold.
The band's music has appealed to both the Christian and secular worlds, with its music also showing top-10 power on the Billboard music charts. The group's current release, "The Altar and the Door," sits No. 2 on the Billboard 200 album chart. The CD actually debuted at that position, the highest ever for a Christian artist without crossover promotion.
"This is our biggest single concert ever," Rice said. "We have never had an artist or group here at the absolute height of their popularity like Casting Crowns. This is a great opportunity to bring in one of the best Christian bands at a time when our area needs encouragement.
"Casting Crowns is looking forward to coming here and seeing the resiliency and resourcefulness of this community. These guys have such a wonderful message to share."
Most of the group are members of Eagles Landing First Baptist Church in McDonough, Ga.
Casting Crowns has won 12 Grammy, Dove and GMA awards.
--seighinger@whig.com/221-3377
